The
United States government, in its latest travel advisory to its citizens living
in Nigeria, has listed 20 of Nigeria’s 36 states as unsafe and advised them to
stay away from them.

Among the 20, it cited Borno, Adamawa and Yobe as complete no-go areas as “the
ability of the US Mission to provide assistance to US citizens” in those states
remains severely limited.

The
travel warning published on Wednesday on the website of the U.S. Department of
State, replaced an earlier one of last February, reported Afrique News
yesterday.

In
addition to the three frontline states, the State Department also “recommends
against all but essential travel to the following states due to the risk of kidnappings,
robberies, and other armed attacks: Bauchi, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Gombe, Imo,
Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Niger, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, and
Zamfara.

“The
Department of State also warns against travel in the Gulf of Guinea, because of
the threat of piracy,” the advisory published online added.
It said based on safety and security risk assessments, the embassy maintains
restrictions for travel by US officials to the states listed above.

Officials
must also apply for advance clearance by the US mission for any travel to those
states.
The statement also urged vigilance around government security facilities;
churches, mosques, other places of worship; locations where large crowds may
gather such as hotels, clubs, bars, restaurants, markets, shopping malls; and
other areas frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.

It
added: “Security measures in Nigeria remain heightened due to threats posed by
extremist groups, and U.S. citizens may encounter police and military
checkpoints, additional security, and possible road blocks throughout the
country.

“Hundreds
of thousands of Nigerians have been displaced as a result of violence in the
north.”
The U.S. State Department noted that kidnappings remained a security concern
throughout Nigeria, as criminal elements across the country orchestrated
kidnappings for ransom; Islamic extremists, operating predominantly in the
North, also have been known to conduct kidnappings.

It
said: “Separatist groups have staged demonstrations in Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa,
Delta, Enugu, Imo, Lagos, and Rivers States, some of which have turned violent.
“Militant groups have destroyed oil production infrastructure in Bayelsa and
Delta states.

“U.S.
citizens are advised to avoid the areas of these states where these incidents
have occurred.
“Attacks by pirates off the coast of Nigeria in the Gulf of Guinea have
increased substantially in recent years.

“Armed
gangs have boarded both commercial and private vessels to rob travellers.
“The Nigerian Navy has limited capacity to respond to criminal acts at sea.”